Corner-shelf.



T. W. HOLLANDBR.

CORNER SHELF. 7 APPLICATION FILED JAN. 9, 1912.

1,094,331. Patented Apr. 21, 1914.

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N "WWW TI IERON W. HOLLANDER, OF FAIRFIEL-D, IOWA.

CORNER-SHELF.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 21, 1914.

Application filed January 9, 1912. Serial No. 670,331.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, THnRoN XV. HOLLAN- DER, citizen of the United States, residing at Fairfield, in the county of Jefferson and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inOorner-Shelves, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to corner shelves and has for its object the provision of a comparatively simple and thoroughly efficient device of this character, capable of being readily attached to or removed from a wall or other support without the necessity of using a screw driver, hammer or other tool.

A further object is to provide a corner shelf having angularly disposed clamping members slidably mounted on one face thereof and provided with impaling devices adapted to engage a support for preventing accidental displacement of the shelf.

A further object is to provide means for holding the clamping members in retracted position when fitting the shelf to a wall, and means for automatically moving the impaling devices into engagement with the wall when the holding means is released.

A still further object of the invention is generally to improve this class of devices so as to increase their utility, durability and eiiiciency.

Further objects and advantages will appear in the following description, it being understood that various changes in form, proportions and minor details of construction may be resorted to within the scope of the appended claims.

For a full understanding of the invention and the merits thereof, reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawing, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a corner shelf embodying my invention, and looking at the lower face thereof; Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1, showing the impaling spurs in retracted position; Fig. 3 is a similar view, showing the holding means released and the impaling spurs embedded in the wall; Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one of the clamping members and its associated parts detached.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawing by the same reference characters.

The device comprises a supporting shelf 5, preferably triangular in shape, as shown and adapted to fit between the side walls 5 of i a room or other inclosure. Slidably mounted on the lower surface of the shelf 5, are clamping members 7, preferably disposed at an angle to each other and provided with laterally extending box like casings 8 having slots 9 formed therein for the reception of screws or similar fastening devices 10. The outer longitudinal edge of each clamping member 7 is formed with spaced depending flanges 11 having openings formed therein, and in which are swiveled impaling devices 12, preferably in the form of pins or spurs, as shown, the latter being adapted to engage the wall and prevent accidental displacement of the shelf. Housed within the casings 8 are coiled springs 13, one end of each of which bears against the outer end of the adjacent casing, while the other end thereof bears against the screws 10, the function of the springs 1.3 being to move the clamping members to extended position beyond the adjacent longitudinal edge of the shelf so that the. spurs 12 will be embedded in the surface of the wall or other support to which the shelf is attached.

.As ameans for holding the clamping members in retracted position, while fitting the shelf between the walls of a room or other inclosure, there are provided spring locking members 15, one end of each of which is rigidly secured to the lower surface of the adjacent clamping member, while the other end thereof is bent to produce a finger piece 15 terminating in a lip 16 adapted to engage a bar or keeper 17 secured to the lower face of the shelf, as shown. A finger piece 18 is also preferably secured to each locking member to assist in moving the clamping members to retracted position when removing the shelf from a wall.

In operation, the finger piece 18 is grasped in the hand and the clamping members moved to retracted position until the lips 16 of the locking members 15 engage the adjacent keepers 17, and in which position the pointed ends of the impaling spurs 12 will be disposed within the lines of the shelf so as to permit said shelf to be readily positioned between the walls of a room at the corner thereof. After the shelf is fitted to a corner of a room, the locking members 15 are released by exerting a downward pull on the finger pieces 17, the springs 13 serving to automatically move the clamping members to extended position beyond the adjacent longitudinal edge of the shelf, thereby causing the impaling spurs to be embedded in the wall and effectually prevent accidental displacement of said shelf.

The screws or fastening devices 10 are fitted loosely within the slots in the casings 9 so as to prevent binding or wedging action between the parts, said screws being preferably provided with terminal heads to facilitate attaching and removing the same. It will of course be understood that the clamping members may be made in different sizes and shapes and provided with any number of impaling spurs without departing from the spirit of the invention. It will also be understood that the impaling spurs may be dispensed with, in which event, the shelf will be retained in position on the wall by the spring action of the clamping memhere.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

l. The combination with a shelf having keepers secured thereto, of angularly dis posed clamping members slidably mounted on the shelf and provided with perforated flanges, slotted casings forming a part of each clamping member, fastening devices extending through the slots in the casings and engaging the shelf, impaling spurs swiveled in the perforations in the flanges, locking members secured to said shelf and adapted to engage the adjacent keepers for normally holding the points of the impaling spurs within the lines of the shelf, and springs housed within the casings of the adjacent clamping members for automatically moving said clamping members to extended position when the locking members are released.

2. The combination with a shelf having keepers secured thereto, of clamping members slidably mounted on one face of the shelf and each provided with spaced slotted casings and depending flanges, fastening devices extending through the slots in the casings and engaging the shelf, a finger piece secured to each clamping member, spring locking members secured to the clamping members and having their free ends bent to form lips for engagement with the adjacent keepers for holding the latter in retracted position, said lips terminating in finger pieces, springs housed within the casings and bearing against the adjacent fastening devices for automatically m ving said fastening devices to extended position into engagement with a support when the locking members are released, and auxiliary finger pieces depending from the locking members in spaced relation to the first mentioned finger pieces.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

THERON W. HOLLANDER.

Witnesses RALPH H. MUNRO, B. F. SIMMONS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Fatents,

- Washington, D. G. 

